The present invention is related to improvements in harvesting units and particularly to a cutter unit for a combine for harvesting specialty crops such as corn and sunflowers.
As is known, combines are utilized for harvesting grain and separating the grain from the stalks but such combines have not proven fully successful for harvesting specialty crops such as corn and sunflowers with an ordinary grain cutter unit. One substantial obstacle exists in that the size and length of the stalk of the specialty crop is such that the dimensions of standard cutter units are inapplicable. For example, the length of a receiving table and the diameter of rotating elements are not adapted to the great height of specialty crops.
In order to improve the harvesting result of such specialty crops, conversion kits or front attachment kits for cutter units have been developed and these are frequently intended for one specialty crop such as corn, sunflowers or other crops. The normal grain cutter unit is replaced by one of these specialty crop cutter units. However, the employment of a specialty cutter unit for every specialty crop causes high capital costs for the operator of the combine. This results in that the economic feasibility of a given combine is diminished, particularly when the amount of any specialty crop to be harvested is small.
It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide an improved cutter unit and method of cutting for various specialty crops, particularly such as corn and sunflowers and to provide a unit wherein these crops can be harvested loss free.
A further object of the invention is to provide an improved cutter for a combine for the harvesting of specialty tall stalk crops wherein the cutter comprises a simplified cost beneficial and effective structure that can handle more than one type of tall specialty crop.